


Heroes and Villains: Of Freedom and Feelin' Good

by irishlullaby13



Series: Heroes and Villains [6]
Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-12 18:04:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15345483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irishlullaby13/pseuds/irishlullaby13
Summary: The Captain ventures outside for the first time after the demise of his late wife and the minions of Moloch being put to rest.





	Heroes and Villains: Of Freedom and Feelin' Good

Freedom.

What was freedom?

To some it was fireworks on the fourth of July. To others it was singing Amazing Grace in church on Sunday. To others it was lighting each candle upon a Menorah on Hanukkah. To a few it was marching under a rainbowed banner with their same gendered partner, celebrating their union and their family.

If one had asked Ichabod Crane, two hundred and fifty some odd years ago, what freedom was, he would have said something like standing with his brothers and sisters of liberty against the tyranny of King George. If one were to ask him now, after months--nay a few years--of being essentially confined to a basement and belittled for his every movement and daring to breathe…

He would now say freedom was standing upon the front porch of the old Mason's manor. Freedom was staring down the cobblestone drive, blinking slowly as a gentle breeze caressed his face. Freedom was Nina Simone's passionate voice sing of fireflies and leaves drifting by, as many times as he pleased because no one was there to ridicule him for tapping the button to replay it.

Each time the song ended, he started it over. Because he could. There were no tired musicians to worry he was bothering them with his desire to hear the same song again and again.

There was only himself, his phone, Bluetooth headphones, and a subscription to a music service.

He had expected to feel even an inkling of remorse for plunging an ancient blade into his wife's chest. But there was… well. He couldn't say he felt nothing. He felt… relief. He felt… free.

Free of what, he had no idea. But it felt like an invisible rope he hadn't known was binding him had fallen away. A rope that been slowly wrapping around him since Katrina had told him of her affections and pulling tighter since her rescue from Purgatory.

It was strange. Touching the ancient blade that turned the Siren into a fiery eyed _entity_. He would call it a demon. However, it seemed free of the command of Moloch. It's goal was to destroy that which was evil. 

Although, perhaps it was a demon in the sense that it wasn't human. He had heard voices in his head, whispering. Almost like a memory.

_“Cain. Where is your sister, Abel? I heard her cry out for me, but I cannot find her at the altar.”_

Ichabod shook his head to clear away the memory. Was it a memory? It couldn't be… could it? In the tale of Cain and Abel, they had definitely been _brothers_. Hadn't they? Or was that one of many things history had editted or tried to hide?

There were so many things, he had learned, that had been altered in some form to fit a narrative. But what was the endgame, as it were? What could possibly be gained by making such alterations throughout history?

_Sleep in peace when day is done: that's what I mean_  
And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me  
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel  
Oh, freedom is mine, and I know how I feel  
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me  
And I'm feelin'... good 

A smile slowly crept over Ichabod’s lips. He said the only thing he could think of in that moment. A clever little phrase that Miss Latisha was most fond of when she heard something with which she agreed.

“Amen, sister,” he intoned, hitting replay one last time. He took a deep breath. Perhaps it was time he ventured out into this bold new world. 

Taking the first step off of the porch, Ichabod could not wait to see what new things he would come to call “freedom”.


End file.
